Christmas Dance
by Dareru
Summary: Takeru and Hikari's first date. Yaoi(but only in short interludes)/citrus


CHRISTMAS DANCE  
By Dareru (furidashi@hotmail.com)  
  
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep...  
  
An arm emerged from under the bed sheets and groped about blindly for the hated alarm clock. Failing to find it, a head with a confused mass of blond hair peeked out from the warmth of the covers and groggily looked for the button that would stop the noise. A few seconds passed as the owner of the head and arm made as much sense of his surroundings as he could, having just been rudely awoken. Finding the desired button, he switched it off, then lay down again, when suddenly it hit him.  
  
Actually, the thought did not occur to him as a straightforward piece of information - but he knew something important was going to happen today, and that this hazy state he was in was not helping his memory. He struggled upwards from the depths of his sheets, reaching a sitting-up position, and stared at his clock. This time, it registered.  
  
December 22 - the last day of school before winter break.   
  
The day of the Christmas dance.  
  
His big chance with Hikari.  
  
"Takeru, dear, breakfast is ready!" came a motherly voice from down the hall. He tried to respond, but all that came out was a loud croaking noise. Clearing his throat, he tried again.   
  
"All right, mom, coming!" he managed. Scratching his head, he searched around in the pigsty that passed for his room for suitable clothing. He found a pair of boxers and a white t-shirt, threw them on more or less the right way, and stumbled out towards the kitchen.  
  
"Good morning, how's my Chibi-chan?"  
  
"Mo-om," he groaned, plopping down at his dining table, a bowl of steaming oatmeal and a slice of toast already prepared and ready for consumption. His mom smiled at him.  
  
"Glad you could drag yourself out of bed to join me. I'm going to be out working on a story for the day down at the Fuji TV station, then to the Science Museum near the Imperial Palace. Some scientific big shots are going to be there for the grand reopening, and of course they want me to cover it and the big gala thing afterwards, so that will probably go on until midnight. So, needless to say, I won't be able to pick you up after school, but you can walk. Take a coat, it's supposed to snow out there. I should be home late tonight."  
  
"Mom, don't forget, I've got the Christmas dance tonight, I won't be home 'til late either."   
  
"Oh, that's right. That reminds me, I found a tux that would fit you, it's draped on the couch - I got a clip on tie because that's all I could find. Have fun at the dance, curfew's at 3!" She leaned over and kissed her son's forehead, then hurried out the door.   
  
"Bye, mom," Takeru squeaked after her. He cleared his throat again. "I hate mornings."  
  
He wolfed down his meal, setting the dishes in the sink, then went to the bathroom. He threw his t-shirt and boxers in a pile at the foot of the shower, turned it on, and went in.   
  
"Aaaah!"  
  
Still half-asleep, his brain didn't process the fact that the hot water wouldn't come out of the shower right away. Fortunately for Takeru, he and his brain were wide-awake now. He scrambled out of the shower and waited miserably for the water to begin steaming before getting back in, mumbling to himself. He washed himself automatically, his mind already working on his plan for the evening - dinner, dance, movie. Then we'll have to find a way to entertain ourselves, he thought, smiling. Forcing himself out of the hot water, he toweled off, brushed his teeth, and got dressed in his favorite outfit - blue & yellow shirt, gray shorts (even though it had already snowed in Odaiba), and hat, which he pulled out from under the still-sleeping Patamon. He glanced at the clock again.  
  
'7:30. Still a half hour to go.' A thought just hit him. 'Crap, I better do my math homework!'  
  
The algebra provided something to do without really reducing his boredom, but he slogged through the problems and finished them all. At last, it was time to go. Finally, he thought. He stuffed his papers, math book and binder into his backpack haphazardly, grabbed a coat, and walked out the door. The elevator ride down was typical - people crowded the small car but never seemed to want to talk. A gust of cold air hit the passengers as they struggled to get out, some resuming their complaints about the weather as soon as they set foot outside. Takeru glanced at the sky, then struggled forward into the brisk winter air.  
  
***  
  
'Time flies when you're not paying attention.  
  
'I wish I wasn't paying attention.'  
  
Takeru sighed, and leaned his face on his wrists, trying to keep himself from glancing at the clock for the tenth time already. The teacher droned on in the front, lecturing about algebra, and variables, and other math-related things. Bored, Takeru swung his gaze over the classroom, eventually landing on the one thing that could hold his attention - Hikari.  
  
'Hikari. So perfect. I wish I could just go over to her and...'  
  
BANG!  
  
The goofy smile that had been creeping over his face disappeared rapidly as his chin slipped off of his hand and came in contact with the desk.   
  
"Oww! F...dammit!"  
  
He grimaced in pain, then in embarrassment as he realized the entire class and the teacher - but most importantly, Hikari - was staring at him. Fortunately, he had caught himself before dropping the f-bomb, but a ripple of laughter swept through the class anyway, and he felt his face start to turn red.   
  
"Mr. Takaishi, perhaps you'd like to get up here and give us a lecture on decency?"  
  
It was at about this point that he wished there was a hole he could crawl into and die, or at least hide for a while, but he sat up, thoroughly chagrined, and stammered out a response. "Um...uh...no, Sensei...I...uh, was...just...distracted by something."  
  
"Yes, I noticed. Perhaps we should move you to a place where your view of a certain young lady isn't quite so good?"  
  
"No, sir...fine here..." he mumbled, getting angry both with himself and his teacher. He shuffled his feet under his desk, and snuck a quick glance back at Hikari, who, to his surprise, was turning red, as well - but, no one noticed, and within a few moments the incident was all but forgotten as the teacher continued expounding on the virtues of various math topics. Takeru bit his lip, silently berating himself.  
  
'Reeeal smooth, Takeru. Maybe for your next stunt you can trip over your own feet. Dammit, I'm such a klutz! And that shitsukoi of a teacher...'  
  
It seemed an eternity and a half before the lunch bell rang, and when it did Takeru practically bolted out the door. Jamming his hat back on his head, he searched for Hikari in the hallways for a brief moment before finding her stuffing her books, binders, and other school-related things into her backpack. He sidled up to her.  
  
"Hey, Hikari."  
  
"Busy planning out your every move for tonight, huh, lover boy?" she smirked.  
  
Takeru groaned. "Don't remind me...actually, it's all your fault, for..." Before he started pouring his heart out in front of her, in the middle of a crowded hallway, he caught himself. "That camera of yours." 'Lame...'"So, what are you doing for lunch?"  
  
"I have a doctor's appointment, actually, then I'm going shopping for tonight, then I'm going to be waiting for you. Don't be late, Takeru, or I'll be royally pissed!"  
  
"Oh, OK," he said, trying (and failing) to hide his disappointment.  
  
As she started to walk off, a mischievous grin flitted over her face. "By the way, when you do get distracted by my...um...digital camera," she grinned, "try to land on something softer and quieter, k?" Turning, she blew him a kiss, winked, waved and left. He stared after her, waving mechanically.   
  
The rest of the day was a blur for him. He ate with some friends, not making much conversation, answered when called upon, did his assignments, and absorbed none of it. Finally, the last bell rang, and he made his way to his locked, and then the computer lab as he always did after school.   
  
"Hey, little bro, good news, we get the day off!"  
  
Waiting for him was Yamato, minus his significant other. He smiled and put his arm around his little brother's shoulders. "Now, since tonight's a big night, I figured you could use some...ah...coaching, so you get a crash course in wearing a tux, dining out, and all the other stuff a gentlemen should know when entertaining his date." Takeru rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes, and I'll even throw in dancing lessons for free!" Yamato laughed. "Just kidding. Actually, I was just gonna give you a ride home since mom's not around and I have nothing to do, and then maybe help you get into your tux. And..." he said, fishing in his pocket, "I found a proper bow tie because when I went to the Christmas dance all mom had was..."  
  
"...a clip on, right?" Takeru finished.  
  
"Oh, she found it? Well, that's good. Anyway, I wouldn't give you advice you didn't want...I'll let you screw up on your own."  
  
"Thanks, oniichan, your confidence in me is overwhelming."  
  
"Hey, anything for little Takeru!" He removed Takeru's hat and ruffled his hair none-too-gently.  
  
"Oww! That hurts!"  
  
"That's OK, I don't mind it at all!"  
  
***  
  
Yamato stepped back and admired the fruits of his hours of labor on Takeru.   
  
Takeru looked, and felt, decidedly uncomfortable. He was decked out in a typical tux - black overcoat, laced white undershirt, bow tie, black pants, black shoes, and his only intact pair of black socks. His hair was, for once, combed and moussed by Yamato himself, which naturally took almost a half an hour.  
  
"You don't think the bow tie was too much?" queried Yamato.  
  
"No, you styling my hair was too much," replied Takeru. "The bow tie was way over the top."  
  
"Heh," grinned Yamato. "You look ready to sweep Hikari off her feet, little brother."  
  
"I wish I felt as confident as I look..." Nervous didn't even come close to how Takeru felt, and he had a feeling that as the night went on it would only get worse.  
  
"Aww, c'mon, Takeru, cheer up. You've asked her, already, and that's basically half the battle. Think how I felt when I asked Taichi out, and look where we are now. You'll do just fine. I promise."  
  
"Thanks..." Takeru didn't sound at all convinced. He sighed. "Well, here goes nothing."  
  
"I'm picking up Tai for a date, so I'll give you a ride over. No sense walking all that way in the snow, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Right."  
  
The pair climbed in to Yamato's Explorer. After a few failed attempts at starting, the engine finally coughed itself into life, and the car peeled off into the street.   
  
"So, what's your plan for the evening?"   
  
"Well, first I'm taking her to that new Italian place at the waterfront, then we're going to the dance, and then a movie, and then, who knows?"  
  
Yamato smirked. "Of course, your goal is the who knows part, right?"  
  
"Well...assuming I get that far, sure."  
  
Both of them laughed. A few minutes later, Yamato eased the vehicle into a parking spot in front of the Kamiyas' apartment building. They hadn't quite entered the elevator when Takeru stopped, his nerves overwhelming him. In response, Yamato picked a handful of snow and threw it into his brother's face.  
  
"Hey! Snap out of it! What're you so nervous about? Come on, Takeru, you're gonna do just fine!"  
  
The shock of the freezing snow coupled with the force behind Yamato's words seemed to bring Takeru back from his temporary lapse.   
  
"Sorry...it's just that, I've been waiting for this night for a long time. What if I screw up?"  
  
"What if you don't? You won't know 'til you try, Takeru. Now go up there!" And with that, Yamato shoved Takeru into the elevator.  
  
***  
  
"I'll get it!"  
  
Taichi Kamiya got up from his living room couch, turned down the TV and ran to the door. He opened the door and instinctively threw his arms around the person waiting behind it, planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek.  
  
"Um...hi, Tai...nice to see you too. Yamato's over there."  
  
A red-faced Tai extracted himself from Takeru, apologizing profusely. Yamato, on the other hand, was laughing so hard he nearly slipped and fell on the ice-covered walkway.   
  
"Come on in, you two, stop freezing your butts off." He kissed Yamato briefly before continuing. "You didn't tell me you were bringing your brother over, Yama-kun. That could'a' saved me just a little embarrassment."  
  
Yamato wiped tears of laughter out of his eyes. "And, haha, miss that?! I wish I had a camera!" He calmed down somewhat. "So, ready for our date?"  
  
"Yeah." Tai flipped to a different channel. "I was watching this American cartoon show. The animation's OK, but the dub job is awful! It doesn't even make sense."  
  
"They're all like that," observed Matt, staring at Tai instead of the TV.  
  
"Oh, Takeru," said Tai, as if seeing him for the first time, "you probably want to get Hikari." Noting the 'well, duh' look in his eyes, Tai got up and smiled. "Hikari! Your date's here!"  
  
Takeru's jaw almost hit the floor when Hikari came into view.  
  
Her lithe form was adorned with a purple, backless, low-cut, ankle-length dress, reflective material woven throughout the fabric. The usual pink gloves had been replaced with elbow-length white lace ones. The only non-traditional parts of her outfit were the white boots that peeked out from underneath her dress. She smiled, noting the look on Takeru's face.  
  
"I think he likes the outfit."  
  
Tai grinned. "He should, I picked it out myself."  
  
Yamato put his arms around Tai. "I bet you'd look in it..." He dropped his voice to a suggestive whisper. "Or out of it..."  
  
Hikari snorted, walking over to her date. "Hmph. We better leave these two alone before they get their hormones worked up properly."  
  
That brought Takeru out of his trance. Arm in arm, they walked out the door, leaving their older brothers some quality time alone.  
  
"The way those two go at it, they'll probably be married before they get out of college," said Takeru, a slight smile on his face.   
  
"So, what's your, or should I say, our plan for tonight, Takeru?"  
  
"Well, first we're going to that new Italian restaurant on the waterfront. I forget what it's called...anyway, after that, we'll take the subway to the school, dance, then a movie."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"Then, we'll see. Sound good?"  
  
Hikari smiled. "Sounds good. Lead the way."  
  
Before she could finish their sentence, a light snow had begun to fall. Takeru tried unsuccessfully to catch a few on his tongue, trying to put his mind off of his nervousness, but failed. His date giggled nervously at his attempts.  
  
"Practicing for later, or just trying to calm down?"  
  
It took a moment for her comment to sink in, and he started turning red with embarrassment.   
  
'Wow, he must be just as anxious as I am,' thought Hikari. 'Damn! I hope that stupid comment didn't put him off too much. Maybe if I just kept my mouth shut, this date would go a whole lot smoother.'  
  
'Aargh! She noticed!' Takeru was mentally kicking himself. 'She seems so relaxed, and calm, and perfect...All right, calm down...Calm down. Remember what Yamato said. Besides, this is probably the worst part of a date...It can only get better from here, right?'  
  
The snow began to fall regularly now, sticking to the ground. Hikari unconsciously tightened her grip on Takeru's tuxedoed arm, moving closer to him to stay warm in her rather revealing dress. They chatted along the way, Takeru slowly warming up to her company. Finally they stopped at the entrance to a big building. The words 'Tony's Italian Ristorante' were displayed in neon lights, the approximate Kanji translation along the bottom.   
  
"This is the place," Takeru said, opening the door for her. "After you."  
  
Inside, the restaurant was dimly lit, Italian folk music playing over the murmur of conversation. Waiters bustled to and fro, gathering orders, delivering drinks, and shuttling steaming bowls of pasta to their patrons. The smell of garlic, tomatoes, and other Italian food wafted in from the kitchen; it was enough to set anyone's mouth watering, and the pair was no exception. A waiter stood behind a large, ornate podium, and inquired as to their reservations.   
  
"Takaishi, two," said Takeru, mentally going over exactly what he wanted.  
  
The waiter scanned his list, found the desired entry, picked up two menus and led the pair to a quiet, secluded booth next to one of the many panoramic windows. Outside, the snowstorm grew in intensity, white starting to cover much of the ground. Hikari involuntarily shivered, even though it was quite warm indoors. They both looked over the menu, and decided, after some suggestions from a very impatient waiter, to share a platter of spaghetti.   
  
"Nice place they got here," remarked Hikari. "You'd think they would get at least some holiday cheer...I mean, it's, like, less than a week 'til Christmas."  
  
"I bet they don't even celebrate Christmas."  
  
"Takeru?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"If we both happen to get the same noodle...it's mine."  
  
They both dissolved into laughter.  
  
***  
  
Matt and Tai's date had been canceled in lieu of a more...private evening at Matt's apartment. The pair had barely crossed into the door and flipped on a light before their hormones got the best of them. A jumble of clothing scattered across the room, while somehow the boys' lips, and tongues, managed to stay locked. Matt growled and gently eased Tai onto the couch, undoing both of their belts.  
  
Without warning, the room was plunged into darkness.  
  
"Dammit! What was that?"  
  
Matt extricated himself from Tai's embrace, the mood (not to mention his erection) disappearing rapidly. Tai sighed.  
  
"Power must be out. Crap."  
  
The pair stumbled about in the darkness, searching for clothing, candles and flashlights.  
  
***  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, it appears that the power has gone out..." A quavery tenor voice shouted over the din in the restaurant.  
  
"Well, duh," muttered Takeru and Hikari simultaneously.  
  
"...so we will be placing candles at each table. Your meals will arrive shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience."  
  
'This isn't going exactly as I had planned it...'thought Takeru. Something brushed against his leg, but he was lost in his own little world. A quiet laugh came from the other side of the darkened booth, and it happened again, this time doing it so that Takeru would notice. He turned his head towards where he thought Hikari was.  
  
"He-ey...aren't you...er, we...just a little too old to be playing footsie under a table?"  
  
Hikari laughed musically from the other end of the table. "Do you have a better idea, or are you just afraid of being Mr. Immature?"  
  
Even though she could not see it, he was grinning ear to ear. "All right, if that's how you wanna do it..."  
  
Six pinpoints of light flared up on the edge of the booth, and a now-illuminated waiter set down a candelabra. "Sorry for the inconvenience, your order will be ready in just a moment."  
  
'Damn it!' The same thought crossed their minds simultaneously.   
  
***  
  
A half an hour later, they had polished off the biggest collection of noodles and marinara sauce they had ever seen, accompanied by one of the biggest bills they had ever seen. Even though the power was not on yet, still had a good feeling about the rest of the night.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention." The same high-pitched tremolo rang out. "We have just got a phone call from the subway authorities. The subway system is going to be down for a few hours as the electrical blackout has compromised the safety system. They apologize for the inconvenience."  
  
"Aww...fuck." Takeru swore to himself as his entire plan for the evening fell into pieces. "Damned power grid. First snow and it goes out. That's just great."  
  
Hikari looked up from her glass of iced tea. "What's that, Takeru?"  
  
"Huh? Oh...nothing. Um...look, change of plans, since the subway's down we have no way of getting to the movie theater, which probably would also be out of commission, so..." His mind raced for an alternative; fortunately, one was staring at him from the other side of the window. "How about a walk in the park?"  
  
"Good think I wore my boots, and not high heels. Let's go!"  
  
Takeru leafed through his wallet, paid for their meal, left a small amount for their waiter, and headed out the door, Hikari linking arms with him. As soon as they stepped out, a blast of cold air assaulted them.   
  
"I knew I shouldn't have worn the backless one," grumbled Hikari. "Stupid freezing wind."  
  
Being the perfect gentleman he was, Takeru removed his coat and draped it around his date's shoulders. "Warmer?"  
  
"Much. Thanks. You know," stated Hikari thoughtfully, "this is the first time I've seen you with your hair combed and gelled."  
  
"Yeah, I try not to do this except for special occasions. Besides, Yamato insisted that he style it personally."  
  
"Well," Hikari declared, a mischievous smirk threatening to overtake her features, "I don't like it that much." With that, she single-handedly messed up what took his older brother over a half an hour to do. "There. That's better." Unconsciously, she moved her hand down to meet his. Takeru's heart immediately began pounding, and even though he was minus his jacket, he felt warmer than he did in the restaurant.  
  
"Sorry for the not-so-great evening, this stupid power outage kinda messed up my plans."  
  
"That's OK, actually, to tell the truth...I'm not much of a dancer," confessed Hikari. "I'd probably trip a hundred times unless it was a slow dance."  
  
"Hey, me too," said Takeru. He stopped walking, took a deep breath, and without thinking, stuttered, "I was just...you know...doing it to...be...with you, actually."  
  
'Oh my God! Did I just say that! I can't believe it! What the hell am I thinking! What brought that on! I don't even know if she really likes me yet!'  
  
'Wow! He said it! He finally said it! I've been waiting for this for...forever!'  
  
"Takeru?"  
  
"Y-yeah?"  
  
"That's...why...I said yes," she admitted softly.  
  
"Really?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
He looked into her brown eyes, losing himself in their depths. He spoke, but it seemed as if his brain wasn't doing the talking.  
  
"I've been waiting for this day for a long time, you know."  
  
"So have I."  
  
"Hikari...I...I think...No, I know...I'm in love with you."  
  
Before he finished, Hikari surprised him - she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him, on the mouth, hard. Takeru's eyes widened for an instant, then closed, savoring the moment that they had been waiting so long for. After what seemed like an eternity, she pulled away, sucking on his lower lip for a second longer.  
  
"I love you too, Takeru."  
  
END  



End file.
